and the fact is, the vast majority of gun owners in america are responsible. they buy their guns legally, and they use them safely, whether for hunting or sports shooting, collection, or protection. but, you know what, i am also betting that the majority, the vast majority, of responsible, law-abiding gun owners would be some of the first to say we should be able to keep an irresponsible law-breaking few from buying a weapon of war. i'm willing to bet that they don't think using a gun and using common sense are incompatible ideas, that an unbalanced man shouldn't be able to get his hands on a military-style assault rifle so easily, that in this age of technology, we should be able to check someone's criminal records before he or she can check out at a gun show. that if we work harder to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people, there would be fewer atrocities like the one in newtown or any of the lesser-known tragedies that visit small towns and big cities all across america every day. since friday morning, a police officer was gunned down in memphis, le